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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal – Vol. 9, No. 11
Publication Date: November 25, 2022
DOI:10.14738/assrj.911.12730. Hezam, A. M. M., & Mahyoub, R. A. M. (2022). Saudi University Students’ Perceptions towards Language Learning via Blackboard
During Covid-19 Pandemic: A Case Study of Department of Languages and Translation, Taibah University, Al-Ula Campus. Advances
in Social Sciences Research Journal, 9(11). 360-372.
Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom
Saudi University Students’ Perceptions towards Language
Learning via Blackboard During Covid-19 Pandemic: A Case Study
of Department of Languages and Translation, Taibah University,
Al-Ula Campus
Abdulrahman Mokbel Mahyoub Hezam
Department of English, Faculty of Arts, Taiz University, Yemen
Department of Languages and Translation, Faculty of Science and Arts
Taibah University, Al-Ula, Saudi Arabia
Rian Abdulrahman Mokbel Mahyoub
Ph D scholar at EFLU, Hyderabad, India
ABSTRACT
This study investigates the use of Blackboard in teaching and learning English as a
foreign language at the Department of Languages and Translation, Faculty of
Science and Arts, Taibah University (TU) in Al-Ula, Saudi Arabia. It aims to
investigate the efficiency of using Blackboard in EFL. The study tries to answer the
following questions: What are the effects of using Blackboard in teaching and
learning English as a foreign language on the development of language skills? What
are the attitudes of EFL learners toward using Blackboard at Saudi EFL colleges?
The descriptive research design used a quantitative instrument to accomplish the
study's objectives; a survey questionnaire was used to investigate the attitudes of
EFL BA college students towards the use of Blackboard in EFL. The findings of the
study help educators assess the efficiency of using Blackboard in teaching English.
The results show that students have a positive attitude towards Blackboard but still
face difficulties adapting to online learning.
INTRODUCTION
Through time and with the massive spread of the internet around the world, now online
teaching and learning is much easier and more people are going to online education for
knowledge. The outbreak of coronavirus has put the whole world in a difficult situation. Schools
and universities were closed and study suspended in many parts of the world. Here comes the
role of online learning as the best alternative. In Saudi Arabia, the blackboard plays a significant
role in the educational process at Saudi universities. Now the attention is on what is after the
Covid-19 crisis. Education will not be the same and people are discussing the use of online
learning or blended learning. Blended learning becomes more used in teaching and learning
around the world. The utilization of Blended Learning in advanced education has expanded
altogether during the previous decade and it is going to be more used after the Covid-19 crisis.
Saudi Arabia is a country that has made progress in the field of electronic learning. It is one of
the top countries with regard to rapid advancement and progress in the use of technology and
this helped the country in facing the Covid-19 crisis. Teaching at Saudi Universities was not
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Hezam, A. M. M., & Mahyoub, R. A. M. (2022). Saudi University Students’ Perceptions towards Language Learning via Blackboard During Covid-19
Pandemic: A Case Study of Department of Languages and Translation, Taibah University, Al-Ula Campus. Advances in Social Sciences Research
Journal, 9(11). 360-372.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.911.12730
suspended and the shift from traditional teaching to online teaching was quick because
universities there have an infrastructure that made the shift easier than in some other
countries. Most universities have been using blackboard in distance education and blended
learning. Blackboard is an online course management software designed to enhance teaching
and learning efforts. This issue attracts and motivates the researcher to dig deeper in
investigating the effectiveness of using blackboard in EFL teaching-learning at Taibah
University, Ula campus. Investigating the perceptions of students can help in finding out what
can be done more to make more effective use of the blackboard in EFL.
The purpose of this study is to determine the overall attitude toward the use of the Blackboard
in EFL courses at the department of Languages and Translation, Faculty of Science and Arts, at
Taibah University (TU) in Al-Ula, Saudi Arabia. It examines how college students view using
blackboard in EFL learning and teaching, the challenges, limitations and suggestions for
improvement. It is concerned with the use of authentic electronic learning materials available
on the blackboard in the EFL classroom and how they can be used more effectively.Teaching
materials such as audios, videos, PowerPoint, animation, links, and so forth can be added by the
teacher to the Blackboard course shell. The teacher can also give students assignments, quizzes,
and surveys. S/He can create discussion forums, blogs, wikis, portfolios and groups for student- student and student-teacher interaction. The teacher can also track and assess students. Other
features of the blackboard can be used by the teachers and students.
The Study’s Research Questions
What are the effects of using blackboard in teaching and learning English as a foreign language
on the development of EFL learners’ performance, and the attitudes of EFL learners toward
using blackboard at Saudi EFL colleges?
This question suggests the following sub-questions: -
How do students use Blackboard to learn English?
What is the best level of achieving maximum benefit from using blackboard?
What are students’ perceptions regarding the advantages and limitations of the blackboard?
METHODOLOGY
The Sudy’s Objectives
As stated earlier in the background, the significance of the use of blackboard in the learning- teaching process has increased after the outbreak of coronavirus. This area of study has become
attractive to researchers. The study is an attempt to contribute to this important field and it
tries to accomplish the following objectives:
- To identify the effectiveness of using Blackboard as a medium of collaborative learning
designed to develop English language teaching\learning.
- To examine the effectiveness, in terms of achievement and skills development, of using
Blackboard for promoting communication in an interactive and collaborative environment.
- To investigate and evaluate the Blackboard learning management system for synchronous
and asynchronous communication to promote English language skills.
Data Collection
The descriptive research design used a quantitative instrument to accomplish the objectives of
the study; a survey questionnaire was used to investigate the attitudes of EFL college students
at the Department of Languages and Translation, Faculty of Science and Arts, at Taibah
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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal (ASSRJ) Vol. 9, Issue 11, November-2022
Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom
University (TU) in Al-Ula, Saudi Arabia. The participants were all students in the department
and their level of study ranged from first-year students to students expected to graduate in the
second semester of 2020-2021. The participants were male and female and their ages started
from 18 up to 24. The qualitative case study research design was selected for this study because
this type of design is suitable for exploring a problem within a context about which little is
known (Creswell, 2007); in this case, that context is the state of using blackboard in Saudi
higher education. It is the preferred approach in qualitative case studies because it allows the
researcher to explore and obtain knowledge from the sample that is thought to be able to
disclose the most information (Merriam, 1988) As using the blackboard in learning was the
main way of teaching and learning in Saudi higher education in the aftermath of the Covid-19
outbreak, there are gaps in the literature that can only be understood by conducting qualitative
research.
The questionnaire consists of four sections. The first section gathered data regarding the
student’s ability to use Blackboard to learn English. The second section collated data regarding
the challenges that students and teachers could face in using blackboard when
teaching\learning EFL. The third section of the questionnaire focused on the best level of
achieving maximum benefit from using blackboard. The fourth section collected data about
students’ perceptions regarding the advantages and limitations of the blackboard.The
questionnaire was sent through social media, especially WhatsApp and Messenger to
participants. They were not forced to give their names or give specific answers.The data were
subjected to analysis through descriptive statistics. Students‟ responses were based on the
percentage to show how they view the different aspects of using blackboard in EFL.
The findings of this research study tried to find out how EFL college students value the role of
the Blackboard teaching and learning performance.
Limitations of the study
Spatially, the study is limited to Taibah University, Al-Ula campus. Objectively, the study is
limited to the use of blackboard in learning and teaching English as a foreign language.The
study was conducted during the second academic semester from January up to May 2021.
Spatially, the study is limited to students of the Department of Languages and Translation at
Taibah University, Al-Ula campus. The perceptions of the teaching staff were not investigated.
Objectively, the study is limited to the use of Blackboard in learning and teaching English as a
foreign language because as mentioned earlier, Blackboard is the main tool used by Saudi
universities.
Sampling
In choosing the sample, the researcher uses purposeful sampling which is defined by Creswell
as selecting people or sites who can give great help to understanding the phenomenon Creswell
(2012;306). The research population included EFL students of both genders. There are 100
students and they are all pursuing bachelor's in the English language at the Department of
Languages and Translation, Faculty of Science and Arts, Taibah University- Al-Ula campus, KSA.
The reason why the researcher selects the samples is that they are suitable for the study
because they interacted and were involved in using the blackboard for learning.
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Hezam, A. M. M., & Mahyoub, R. A. M. (2022). Saudi University Students’ Perceptions towards Language Learning via Blackboard During Covid-19
Pandemic: A Case Study of Department of Languages and Translation, Taibah University, Al-Ula Campus. Advances in Social Sciences Research
Journal, 9(11). 360-372.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.911.12730
LITERATURE REVIEW
Many studies were carried out on online learning and blended learning in Saudi Arabia in the
previous decade. In Saudi Arabia, online learning and blended learning have been in use for
years and many studies have been carried out on the use of online learning and the advantages
and disadvantages of online and blended learning, especially in EFL. Most of these studies were
done before the Cov0d-19 pandemic.
Mohammed Ali Mohsen (2014) investigates teachers’ perceptions on the blackboard in EFL. To
collect the data for the study they interviewed 32 university teachers from Saudi Arabia to
know their perceptions on the use of the blackboard. The finds from the study show that EFL
teachers have positive perceptions on Blackboard applications to English language teaching.
Many teachers think of the blackboard as a structured e-learning platform that helps to improve
the relationship between teachers and students in the course. The study results also revealed
that using blackboard as a blending learning focusing more on administrative problems than
pedagogical significance for language learning. The study also suggests further study of the
topic to use other variables like age, gender, experience etc. with teachers’ perceptions.
Badia Muntazer Hakim (2020) aimed to study teachers’ perceptions on blackboard applications
in the context of teaching EFL and its effect on each module in a periodic manner. They collated
the data from 80 EFL teachers who were surveyed and interviewed to investigate their
perceptions and experience with the use of the blackboard. The study found that EFL teachers
have positive perceptions of the application of the Blackboard to English language teaching.
What was interesting in the study is that the item which states teaching English via blackboard,
teachers think that blackboard will increase student’s motivation to learn got the highest mean
which means that most of them have positive pedagogical perceptions toward of using
technology in language teaching. This study also suggested for feather studies to use other
variables like age, gender, experience etc. with teachers’ perceptions.
Hosam El-Sawy (2018) investigates students’ perceptions of flipping EFL classes with the
blackboard system. A course was designed to allow students to experience flipped learning
context in developing their reading skills. English department students participated in the
project during a complete academic semester consisting of 15 weeks at the University of Al- Jouf, KSA. A detailed questionnaire was prepared and used to enquire about students’
perceptions. Results of the research showed that the majority of participants were able to use
the blackboard system's flipped learning model. Mixed explanations for this willingness were
offered by the participants, including getting grades, better learning, better contact with the
teacher, and having fun. The results also showed that the majority of participants viewed
flipped learning as a beneficial learning background with the blackboard system. The most
important benefits included improved pronunciation of new vocabulary, facilitating the
acquisition of new vocabulary, preparing students for classwork, increasing students’ time
practising reading at home, reading silently more often, better communication with the
instructor and submitting homework easily and quickly. The study also found that by using the
blackboard in the flipped learning model, participants encountered some problems. Most of
these issues were technological and the use of the device itself could be solved with proper
preparation. The study suggests the inclusion in EFL groups of flipped instruction. The study
also suggests further study of the topic with various courses, especially theoretical courses
taught in English departments to university students.
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Another study was carried out at another university. Anas, (2020) used a survey to examine
learners’ perceptions and satisfaction towards blended learning environments designed
around the transactional and transformational approaches of learning theories in a blended
course in the College of Arts & Sciences, Al-Namas, the University of Bisha, Saudi Arabia. The
purpose of the research was to determine the attitudes and expectations of students towards
the three components of a blended learning environment: digital learning materials, evaluation,
and interactive activities. The researcher used a mixed method of study design to collect data
in the form of 12 Likert artifacts in which 22 Saudi students are asked to test their learning
experiences in three categories of the blended learning environment. These categories are
multimedia learning materials, assessments, and interactive activities in a blended course on
Blackboard, a virtual learning platform used by the University of Bisha to support online
learning. The researcher’s observation is used to decipher, and qualitatively explain the
responses of the participants. The Findings of the study show that learners prefer illustrated
text materials to video, plain text and audio materials, flexible evaluations to non-flexible
assessment, and embedded communication tools like WhatsApp, blogging, wikis, collaborative
activities, and discussion forums.
Al Meajel and Sharadgah (2017) think that the success of faculty members in embracing
technology definitely impacts the success of their students in this digital era and, eventually,
the educational institution. There are many teachers, however, who have not implemented
software resources such as Blackboard into their courses. Therefore, this paper discussed
faculty experiences of difficulties in teaching and learning to use the Blackboard method. This
research was conducted during the 2015/2016 academic year at King Saud University in Saudi
Arabia. To decide how they view challenges to using blackboards, an online questionnaire was
distributed to 117 faculty members. The findings of the study showed that academic rank,
experience, gender, and training had statistically significant effects on faculty perceptions
regarding barriers to using Blackboard in teaching and learning. However, there were no
statistically significant differences in faculty perceptions regarding barriers to the utilization of
Blackboard triggered by the use or non-use of Blackboard. The current research also found that
the 'technological barriers' and 'institutional barriers' among the four types of barriers
examined in this study were the most frequently defined barriers. The category of student
barriers came as a third significant factor, while the category of faculty barriers ranked at the
lower end
Ali (2017) Blackboard is a learning management system (LMS) that provides students with an
opportunity to access the course at their convenience. Blackboard allows students to do online
exercises, communicate with other students and their teachers, review teaching materials, and
listen to the classes recorded. Students may also attend live lectures and discussions from
homes, cafés, or from anywhere they want through virtual classes (collaborative blackboard).
All of these features can be accessed by students anytime and anywhere. This facility might
motivate English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students to study effectively and efficiently. The
purpose of this research is to investigate the use of the Blackboard system in teaching and
learning and evaluate its influence on motivating Saudi English students. It looks at the role of
Blackboard on English students’ motivation from their point of view and tries to determine
whether or not students encounter issues that affect their motivation. This research was carried
out in Saudi Arabia at the University of Bisha. The study consisted of 80 English Department
students. This is a mixed approach review of the students who use Blackboard for online